The
Department of International Affairs at Qatar University College of Arts
and Sciences (QU-CAS) organised yesterday a symposium on “The Siege
from the Perspective of International Relations.” which gave an overview
of Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and its objectives.
The symposium
is the first of a series of monthly seminars to be organised by the
Department of International Affairs over the academic year.
It aimed to establish a knowledge-based environment and to promote academic dialogue within and outside QU.
The
symposium included two lectures entitled “The reasons for the
establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council” and “Critical Reading in
the Founding of the Gulf Cooperation Council”.
They were delivered
respectively by CAS assistant professor of international relations Dr
Bakil al-Zindani and assistant professor in security and international
relations, Dr Ibrahim Saidi.
Dr al-Zindani gave an overview on the GCC and the purpose of its establishment.
He
noted that the GCC combines visions, unifies trends and plays a role in
ensuring security. He also highlighted the current Gulf crisis and its
reflection on the GCC.
Dr Saidi highlighted the basic regulations and procedures of the GCC comparing them with other international organisations.
He noted that the Council’s law prevents the expulsion or the membership freeze of any member state.
International
Affairs department head Dr Ahmed Ibrahim said: “This symposium is part
of QU’s role to promote academic dialogue and address national issues
such as the unjust blockade imposed on Qatar. It also aligns with the
commitment of the Department of International Affairs to engage in a
realistic dialogue that reflects the causes of such crises and the ways
to deal with them.”